April 8, 2006 — World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz went out on a boat with one of the seaweed farmers of Juku Ejaya in coastal South Sulawesi to learn how local farmers farm seaweed for sale on the global market.
Seaweed farmers in this part of Indonesia are improving their production and processing of the global commodity through an International Finance Corporation-supported program. The farmers are taught new skills and techniques on how to improve the quality and quantity of the seaweed, including through the use of better seeds. They also are learning processing skills to increase the value added of their product, so that the farmers are able to do the processing themselves, adding value and profits to their product.
Before this program was introduced, their seaweed was processed in another country before reaching its final market destination. Through the IFC-supported program, farmers also get real-time market information via the internet, which has proved a more reliable source on prices and markets.
View 
RSS